Nineteen wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operators from across the Western Balkans have returned from Switzerland with new technical knowledge, fresh ideas and, perhaps most importantly, lasting professional connections following the successful completion of the RCDN+ Twinning Programme, implemented in cooperation with the Swiss Water Association (VSA) and supported by the Swiss and German Governments.
Designed as a practical peer-to-peer exchange rather than a traditional study visit, the programme paired operators from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia with experienced Swiss counterparts at 15 wastewater treatment plants across Switzerland. For one week, participants worked side by side with their hosts, gaining first-hand experience of everyday operational practices, innovative technologies and modern management approaches.
Learning Through Practice
The exchange provided participants with valuable insights into the operation of advanced wastewater treatment facilities, covering topics such as process optimisation, energy efficiency, sludge management, biogas production, resource recovery, maintenance planning and digitalisation.
Beyond technical solutions, the programme demonstrated how continuous professional development, effective work organisation and supportive institutional frameworks contribute to the long-term performance of wastewater utilities. Participants also explored how Swiss utilities are preparing for future challenges, including advanced treatment technologies, energy neutrality and reducing carbon emissions.
Visits to several wastewater treatment plants highlighted that successful modernisation is not always about building entirely new infrastructure. Through targeted reconstruction, smart investments and operational improvements, even older facilities can achieve high environmental and operational standards.
Communities of Practice Beyond Borders
The Twinning Programme builds on the Communities of Practice for wastewater treatment operators established under RCDN+, which already connect professionals across the Western Balkans to exchange experiences and jointly solve operational challenges.
The programme expanded these networks beyond the region by creating direct links between Western Balkan and Swiss operators. The relationships established during the exchange are expected to continue through ongoing communication, professional consultations and future cooperation, ensuring that knowledge sharing extends well beyond the duration of the programme.
Strengthening the Role of Associations
Alongside utility representatives, partner associations from Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Kosovo also participated in dedicated sessions with the Swiss Water Association (VSA).
These exchanges focused on how professional associations can further strengthen Communities of Practice, develop sustainable training programmes, support continuous professional development and facilitate knowledge transfer throughout the region. Participants also explored VSA’s approaches to member engagement, communication, competence development and long-term institutional sustainability.
By strengthening associations as knowledge multipliers, RCDN+ ensures that the experience gained by individual operators reaches a much wider community of water professionals across the Western Balkans.
Investing in People for Better Water Services
The Twinning Programme reaffirmed that improving wastewater services is not only about infrastructure and technology – it is equally about investing in people.
By connecting operators, utilities, professional associations and institutions, RCDN+ continues to create opportunities for peer learning, practical knowledge exchange and regional cooperation. The programme demonstrated that the most valuable innovations often emerge through direct collaboration between practitioners who face similar challenges and can learn from one another’s experience.
As participants return to their utilities, they will translate the knowledge gained in Switzerland into concrete improvements, share lessons within their Communities of Practice and contribute to strengthening wastewater services across the Western Balkans.
The Twinning Programme is another example of how RCDN+ supports sustainable capacity development, building stronger professionals, stronger institutions and ultimately more resilient, efficient and environmentally sustainable water and sanitation services for the region.
